


By The Fireplace

by Paranymph



Category: DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Child Loss, F/M, Fluff, Pregstrid, Sadness, Set between the two epilogues, post httyd3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-22
Updated: 2019-03-22
Packaged: 2019-11-27 10:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18193169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paranymph/pseuds/Paranymph
Summary: I saw a headcanon byCrazy4Dragonsand I got inspired to write a little one shot about it. Turns out, I had a lot more inspiration than a little, because this suddenly became almost a full chapter lol. Hope you enjoy this!Headcanon:Headcanon that Hiccstrid keep a bundle of furs by the fireplace. On occasions when they get caught in the rain or snow, they come home, peel off their wet clothes, wrap up in the furs, and cuddle naked together by the fire for warmth. Sometimes they have sex, sometimes they just talk, and other times they fall sound asleep, exhausted after a long day.





	By The Fireplace

Astrid wasn’t even a little bit worried when she looked outside. She was terrified. Bucket had already warned everyone last week that there was a terrible storm coming. He said it could be like the one last year, when they were snowed in for one week. Back then, they had taken precautions and everyone had enough food for two weeks in their houses, if the estimation by Bucket was wrong. They had been snowed in for a week. Astrid and Hiccup were over the moon with the news that Astrid might be pregnant then, so they had been celebrating the whole weekend with sex, cuddles and warm snuggles by the fireplace.   
  
“Terrible” was a little underestimated by Bucket this time. Yesterday, Mulch had come to the chiefs house and had banged on the door. Resting his hands on his knees and panting, he spitted out the following words: “Bucket”, “tighter”, “storm” and “worse”. After he inhaled deeply, he said; “ _much_ worse”. Hiccup wanted to go to their house to see how much worse it was, but it wasn’t necessary: you could hear Bucket’s screams all up to their house. And thus the panic started. Bucket, incapable of speaking, couldn’t tell them how long the storm would be lasting and if it would be one day of massive amount of snow or multiple days. He couldn’t even tell them if there would be severe winds or massive snowfall either. Hiccup decided he wouldn’t take any chances and prepared for the worst. There was not any problem with this, as they always had plans for everything. The only problem was that this time, in contrast to other storms, they didn’t have a week to prepare.  

Now they had a day to strengthen every house for the possible strong winds, up the life stock in every house for at least a month and make sure other unmanned parts of New Berk were prepared for the storm. But Berk wasn’t Berk without it’s Hairy Hooligans, whom immediately offered Hiccup to strengthen every house and pole, divide their food with everyone or milk every sheep or yak so they would have enough milk. Astrid had gone home last night, she was tired and didn’t feel very well, but Hiccup hadn’t and she couldn’t blame him. He was Chief, he had to make sure that every house was strengthened and contained enough food. But Astrid thought he would be home the next morning, by her side, in their bed. So they could cuddle whilst listening to the wind. So they could wrap themselves up in the coats of fur by the fireplace to warm themselves. So they could prepare a warm stew and eat it together.   
  
But Hiccup wasn’t in their bed when Astrid woke up. He wasn’t at his work table overlooking the plan of the village and overthinking if he missed a house either. He wasn’t even downstairs preparing his famous porridge with honey. Astrid looked through little holes of their house to see what the damage was outside and saw that Bucket’s screams weren’t an overreaction.   
“Oh, Hiccup,” she prayed. “Please be safe.”   
Could he be at his mother’s? That the storm started last night and he couldn’t get to their house in time and he had to stay there? Or any other house of the village?   
But what if he decided that “It couldn’t be that bad, I’ll just walk through this storm.” and was now frozen under a layer of snow because he slipped on his prosthetic leg.   
_No_ , Astrid thought fiercely.  _First of all, Hiccup wouldn’t be that stupid to walk through this storm. And second of all, he can always switch his peg leg to the snow-proof leg. There is no need for panic. He can manage on his own, he can manage on his own._    
  
Astrid walked through the house, to find a distraction. But when she was in their bedroom, sadness overtook her after looking at the corner. There it was, the little crib Hiccup made after she went to Gothi and she had confirmed that Astrid was indeed pregnant. She walked to the crib and placed her hand on the edge. After the crib was done, Hiccup found the softest feathers and Astrid made a little mattress for the crib. Nothing would be too much for their little wonder. Unfortunately, she had lost it the month after the confirmation.   
She couldn’t do anything about it. She started bleeding whilst making stew and after one night of screaming, aching and horrible stomach aches, she had lost the baby.   
Her mother, Valka and Gothi tended to her whilst the tears streamed down Astrid’s face. After they were done, Hiccup came up the stairs to their bedroom. He sat on the bed and placed his hand on hers.   
“Babe, I’m so-”   
“It wasn’t your fault, Astrid. Please keep that in mind. It wasn’t your fault.” Astrid shook her head and yet another tear fell from her face.   
Hiccup brought his face close to hers.   
“Please, milady. Don’t you worry. I will always treasure this lost child, but know that we will have many more. And they will live, they will grow and they will have children of their own.”   
“Hiccup, I don’t know if I can- I don’t know if I ever want to go through this again.”   
Hiccup didn’t say anything. He just bowed over her head and kissed her forehead.   
  
Astrid shook her head when she thought of that horrible night. She couldn’t let herself think of it again. After half an hour, Astrid couldn’t bare to think of anything else anymore and grabbed a fur coat and her wool cloak to make sure she wouldn’t freeze to death within the first fifteen minutes. After she opened the front door, she regretted her decision to go outside, but she needed to know Hiccup was safe, she could not wait a month. And she would not.   
  
Astrid found that the wind was quite severe and cold, but after she warmed up in the nearest house, she could manage to walk the paths to the next one. The snow wasn’t solid enough to stay on the ground, so the paths of the village were still free to walk. The trick was to avoid being blown from the paths. Every villager almost smashed her in the face, because “Why in Odin’s name are  _you_  outside with this weather?”   
After she explained that Hiccup hadn’t come home last night, they understood, but she still knew that they thought she was crazy for going outside. They didn’t stop her, though.   
  
After three hours, she arrived at Valka’s house. She banged on the door. The snow was becoming more vast with the minute and she knew she had to go home any minute now, otherwise she could not get home.   
“Val! Hiccup? Anybody home?”   
“Astrid?! What in Thor’s name are you doing here? You should be home!”   
Astrid turned around and saw Hiccup running up to her. He looked very confused, but also a little bit angry, but most of all, worried.   
“Astrid? What are  _you_  doing here? Shouldn’t you be home?” Valka had opened the door while looking very confused and worried at her daughter in law. Hiccup walked to her.   
“Are you out of your mind?! What are you doing outside? I told you to stay inside!”   
“Hiccup-”   
“Sorry mom. We’re going home right now, she shouldn’t be outside in this weather. Be safe.”   
“Don’t worry. If you want, you can stay here.”   
“No, you don’t have enough food for us all. We can manage to get to our house.”   
“Alright, be safe you two.”   
“Thanks, you too, Valka.” Astrid gave a little smile and then looked at her husband.   
“Come on,” he said and he place his arm with cloak over her shoulder.   
“Hiccup-” Astrid tried.   
“You shouldn’t go outside in this weather,” he said, as they walked to their house.   
“Not when you’re carrying our baby.”   
Astrid curved her brow. “I am doing fine, thank you very much. I only went outside, because my husband and father of my unborn child didn’t come home when he specifically said he would be home this morning.”   
“Astrid, please,” he pleaded. “I can’t-”   
“No.” This time Astrid interrupted him. “You had me very worried, you know. I know you are worried about me, but you don’t get to treat me like I can’t handle myself.”   
Hiccup closed his eyes and Astrid saw a tear escape his eyes.   
“I’m sorry,” he said.   
  
They said nothing until they arrived at their house. The forge had died, because Astrid was away for too long, so it was very cold in the house. Hiccup got a new stack of wood, whilst Astrid started the fire again. He put the pile of logs beside the furs they had lying in front of the forge.   
“Come on,” Astrid said, whilst she un-cloaked Hiccup. “You’re freezing.”   
“And stripping will help me feel warm again?” He said and he lifted his brow.   
“No, but if I strip too, you will.” Hiccup chuckled and un-cloaked Astrid too. He put her face in his hands and looked in her eyes. Astrid stopped with loosening one of the many belts he wore and looked at his face.   
“Please, milady.” Tears were glistening in his eyes.   
“Don’t,” she only said, because she knew. “Please don’t.”   
“But I can’t-”   
“Then don’t. Don’t think about it, Hiccup. Don’t say it, don’t think it. It’s not like I didn’t forget. And I know it was my fault, too. You don’t have to remind me every single damn time.”   
“Astrid, I never said it was your fault, because we both know  _damn straight_  well it isn’t. And I told you that night too. But I don’t want to- I never want to-” He stopped and lay his forehead against hers.   
“I can’t lose you too,” Astrid whispered. “What if I lose you and then I get so emotional that I neglect this baby and lose it too? You know what I would have?  _Nothing_. I would have nothing and I cannot even think like that, because if I start thinking like that again I will lose this one for sure.”   
  
She wasn’t supposed to be pregnant after their loss last year. But after months of ignoring each other and longing looks, she gave in. She missed him, his touches and his kisses. She tried to ignore her feelings, but after months, she couldn’t ignore him anymore. And he was so careful, so sweet. She didn’t know how many times he asked for consent, but she gave it every single time. She couldn’t care anymore. She wanted him, only him.   
Nevertheless, her fears returned when she found out she was pregnant again. But Hiccup helped her. He always helped her. He said it all would be okay. He knew it.   
“This babe is strong, milady. I can feel it. I know it. And if the unfortunate event happens-”  
“Don’t say it.”   
“-that we will lose one again: I will be there for you. I will always be there for you. We’ll get through this together. As long as we have each other.”   
Astrid believed him when she felt the baby move for the first time. But the feeling of uncertainty didn’t go away.   
  
Astrid had closed her eyes after she told her fears to Hiccup.   
“Astrid, you will  _never_  lose me. I made you promise, remember? There will always be Hiccup and Astrid.  _Always_.” Hiccup gave her a kiss. It was a soft and sweet kiss on her lips, but he made sure it lasted long enough that she would believe his words. After he let go, they helped each other to strip of their clothes. Hiccup laid down by the fireplace and welcomed Astrid in his arms. She wrapped them in one of the furs and she placed her head on his chest.   
“I’m sorry I didn’t come home last night, Astrid. Just after everyone was safe in their house, Ingrid came up to me and said she couldn’t find her youngest, Finn. I had been searching for him all night and I just returned him home when I saw you running to my mother’s house. I should’ve left a note or let you know something, I’m sorry.”   
“It’s okay,” she said. “You’re home now. You’re safe.” She traced the lines of his scars on his chest and belly.   
“And you’re safe, too.” He placed a kiss in her hair and put his hand on her slightly swollen belly.   
“And this one is safe, too,” he said.   
He raised up and place a log in the fire, so it could grow. After that, he snuggled right behind Astrid and placed one of his hands on her belly again, and his other arm underneath her head. She placed her hands on his, on her belly.   
  
Astrid thought of last year. Last year this was their favourite position to sleep in. Last year they invented this idea in the first place. It was too cold to stay upstairs in the bed. First they added a lot of furs as extra layers, but it didn’t help. Hiccup suggested they could lay in front of the fireplace and they had moved all their furs here and slept here every night of the storm. They barely went other places of the house, because it was so nice and warm. They only needed each other and the fireplace.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this! If you liked it, please give a kudo and/or tell me in a comment! 
> 
> Daily dose of shameless self promoting: I have a [Tumblr](https://sapientia-art.tumblr.com/) and I would like you to follow me :D


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